Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA is a recent recipient of a prestigious grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, an organization that endeavors to strengthen, promote, and, where necessary, defend the contributions of the humanities and the arts to human flourishing and to the well-being of diverse and democratic societies.

The $500,000 multi-year grant specifically supports two pillars of the Center’s institutional values, including providing direct funding toward the Center’s ongoing commitment to collaborative presentation with visual arts institutions. This includes three programs already completed in 2015:

A series of free and open-to-the-public pre-performance rehearsal workshops held at the Hammer Museum and which were integral to the recital program of flutist Claire Chase at Schoenberg Hall which featured a rare performance of Cutting the Circle of Sound, a unique work for 104 flutes.

The Mellon grant extends into upcoming programs for three calendar years, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Projects will be announced as related to each CAP UCLA presentation season.

Funding from the Mellon Foundation also supports a new endeavor under the Center's Artist-in-Residence initative, providing resources for concentrated residencies between “object makers” and “performance makers.” These residencies are intended to examine how performers might harness cross-discipline networks-- both their own and the Center’s-- of visual artists and designers to bring about the creation of materials that extend beyond the ephemeral nature of a performance work.

The first two collaborative residencies are underway.

Ann Carlson, creator of The Symphonic Body UCLA, will work with fine arts photographer Calista Lyon on the creation of comprehensive photo portraiture of all 100 participants in this unique movement-based performance piece. Carlson has been embedded on campus since January, observing a selection of UCLA workers of all kinds in their daily efforts and is building a social sculpture that will culminate in two performances in Royce Hall November 21.

In collaboration with UCLA Design Media Arts, CAP UCLA welcomes Motion Bank to campus for the 5th Choreographic Coding Lab. Motion Bank began as a project of The Forsythe Company, providing a broad context for research into the choreographic arts. In September of 2015 we host a unique gathering of technology artists, dancers and choreographers. What will unfold? We can’t wait to see.